china resources enterprise
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China Resources Enterprise. ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE STRATEGY. Content. Problem SWOT Analysis –Overview Business Level Strategy - Focused geographical - Differentiation - Related- link Acquisition- based Strategy Recommendation. Problem. Recently restructured companies assets - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE STRATEGY
China Resources Enterprise
Content
ProblemSWOT Analysis –OverviewBusiness Level Strategy
- Focused geographical- Differentiation - Related- link
Acquisition- based StrategyRecommendation
Problem
Recently restructured companies assets
Low margins CRE operating margin: 1.5% (2009 FY) Sector average: 3.1%
Desire from investors for higher profit margin
Acquisitions currently a very important part of CRE’s strategy
Problem
CRE has yet to improve its margins through an acquisition based strategy
Should CRE continue acquisition based growth strategy or focus on fine-tuning their core business against the risks?
CRE Limited, SWOT Overview
Source (Datamonitor)
Strength WeaknessMarket leadership better equips the company to effectively participate in the vibrant Chinese markets
Store productivity significantly lower than the competitors
Inorganic expansion to further establish a dominant market position
Lower margins
Integrated business model
Opportunity ThreatChina’s twelfth 5-year Plan Rising minimum wages will
increase operational costsRobust Chinese economy
Business-level strategy
Focused differentiation with related linked strategy
Business-level strategy
Focused Geographical market: domestic Chinese market
- leverage its strength : good understand of Chinese Market
- better serve the segment
- local/regional competitors : focus on more narrowly defined competitive segments: offer same source of differentiation at lower price
- cannot tap the advantages of using global strategy: increased market size, ROI, economics of scales and learning
Business-level strategy
Differentiation strategy in each business unit
“ Snow” Advertisement http://www.snowbeer.com.cn/
Beer Analysis
Beer - " 雪花 Snow“SWOT – Strength
-Single largest beer brand in Chinese Mainland- Market leader position further consolidated by acquisition of Kingway in Feb 2011- US $40m investment in Technology-Marketing Campaign “The Great Expedition” (“勇闖天涯” )
SWOT –Weakness- Thin profit margin (Chinese: price-sensitive)
[$2 per hectoliter, compared with $50 to $80 in Europe and the U.S]
SWOT –Opportunity -Focus shift from supply-driven to demand small bottles like imported beers
- Enlarged customer group : younger, higher imcome, more urban customers high-end : Snow Draft, Snow Super Premium
urban: Beijing - Chinese robust economy
- Chinese twelfth five-year plan
SWOT –Threat- cost of production: raw materials, rent, utilities
- increasing M&A cost
Five Forces Rivalry with existing competitors“Tsingtao”: 15% of domestic market share
“Yanjing”: sales volume (5m tons target) lower than “Snow”
Bargaining power of customersHigh market reputation and strong customer loyalty “The Great Expedition” (“勇闖天涯” )
Bargaining power of suppliersRaw materials + Packaging materials: hard to be replaced
Potential EntrantsHard to gain a share in this competitive market
Product Substitutestaste speciality
Retail Analysis
Retail N0. 1 in the supermarket in the Chinese MainlandNational retailer Generated 51% of revenues Acquired a hypermarket chain in northern, north-
western, north-eastern and central Chinamulti-format retailer and operates supermarkets,
hypermarkets and convenience storesVanguard, Suguo, Ole, Vango, CR Care, VivoPlus,
Voi_la!, Chinese Arts and Crafts
Retail Analysis
Five Forces Rivalry with existing competitors Multinational retailers such as Wal-mart, Tesco,
Carrefour expand their operations in second and third tier cities
They are expected to open 12-20 new stores each year according to PwC
Bargaining power of customers switching cost is moderate and is decreasing with growing experience in the market
Retail Analysis
Bargaining power of suppliersrather low for small suppliers such as small farming businesses
higher for international brands like P&G as they have international brand awareness
Potential EntrantsHigh cost to entry due to the need to set up new distribution channels
Competitors may retaliate with price war or bad publicity Product SubstitutesRetailing could be bypassed by internet shopping therefore eliminating hypermarkets and supermarkets
Traditional stores offering human contact are an alternative
C’estbon Pacific Coffee
Beverage Analysis
Beverage Analysis
Strength- Largest packaged water
brand in Guangdong - Extensive distribution
channel
Weakness- Insufficient production capacity for launching
new products
Opportunity- Fast-growing coffee
market- Emphasis on healthy
diet
Threat- Keen competition
- High development Cost
Beverage Analysis
Five Forces Rivalry with existing competitors
“C’estbon”: Master Kong, Wahaha, Coca-Cola and NestlePacific Coffee: Starbucks and Gourmet Maste
Bargaining power of customers“C’estbon”: HIGH Pacific Coffee: LOW
Bargaining power of suppliersPacific Coffee: HIGH
Beverage Analysis
Potential EntrantsChina beverage industry is attractive to the potential entrants
Product SubstitutesCarbonated drinks, energy drinks and tea
Food and Processing Distribution Analysis
Ng Fung Hong
- vertically integrated high quality meat supply system- control both food quality and food safety from upstream
to downstream segments of the supply chain- Value chain system create value to customers - Remain in competitive position
Food and Processing Distribution Analysis
Five Forces Rivalry with existing competitorsstrong brand recognition --- raised the reputation Bargaining power of customers monopoly in live cattle market in HK low Bargaining Power of Customers and product
substitutes Potential Entrants monopoly in live cattle market in HK low Potential Entrances
Food and Processing Distribution Analysis
risk of diluting perceived differentiated features
- customer’s dissatisfaction of price increase of beef- price increase is not justified by perceived increase in
quality
Business-level strategy
Related linked: SBU Form of Multidivisional Structure
- share some resource: distribution channels in different business units
Food and retail
Development of self-owned retail stores and launched more than 120 meat counters and stores
Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanning, Shenzhen and Ningbo, etc,
Leveraging the strong “Ng Fung” brand name and efficient supply chain
Beverage and retail
Holders of Pacific Club Card enjoy discount in supermarkets operated by CRE
- sharing of marketing resources
Beer
Strategy to be No.1 - encircling the cities from rural areas - moving up-market - promotion and branding strategy
Acquisition-Based Strategy
Value Creating Drivers
Pursuit of Market Power
Learn and Develop
New Capabilities
Pursuit of Market Power
CRE has potential to further increase market power as a result of their related linked strategy
Proper execution will allow CRE to reduce the costs of its primary and support activities
CRE can further employ vertical integration via vertical acquisitions
Pursuit of Market Power
Vertical Integration Food, beer and beverage divisions provide inputs for CRE’s
retail business segment
CRE can increase their market power using an integrated model R&D, processing & distributing, storage, wholesaling,
retailing
Limitations of vertical integration Outside supplier may produce the input at a lower cost Changes in consumer demands create capacity imbalance
and coordination problems
Pursuit of Market Power
Horizontal Acquisitions CRE can integrate its own assets that complement
their core competency Key driver to top-line growth and market share Ex. Strengthening retail position by acquiring
supermarkets
Expand geographical coverage in the northern and central areas of mainland China Help CRE further establish its network of primary
activities Ex. CRE recent push to acquire breweries in these
locations
Learn and Develop New Capabilities
Goal: Develop and exploit economies of scope between CRE’s businesses
Broaden knowledge base and leverage CRE’s core competences
Create value by pursuing Operational and corporate related acquisitions
Learn and Develop New Capabilities
Acquisitions to create operational relatedness CRE can leverage its existing primary activities
- Distribution systems- Sales networks
Also facilitate their support activities- Purchasing practices- Bargaining power
Has potential to improve existing profit margin Increased revenues Decreased costs
Learn and Develop New Capabilities
Limitations to acquisitions to further operational relatedness Organizational integration may fail to create synergies
Success is dependent on CRE’s ability to integrate acquisitions into a cohesive structure that will allow sharing of activities to take place efficiently
Important that HQ implements controls to foster sharing of activities between related divisions
Learn and Develop New Capabilities
Enhancing corporate relatedness through acquisitions
Transferring CRE’s core competences to an acquired business- CRE has expert local market knowledge and a
sophisticated distribution system
Transferring core competences of core business to CRE- Possible targets should include companies that can
transfer cost saving related core competences to CRE
Learn and Develop New Capabilities
Downside of pursuing a combination operational relatedness and corporate relatedness acquisition based strategy
Cost of organization and compensation structure could be expensive leading to further decrease in CRE’s profit margins
Risks of Acquisition Based Strategy
Integration Challenges
Financial systems
Control systems
Building effective working relationships
Risks of Acquisition Based Strategy
Inability to achieve synergy Ideally want acquisitions to create economies of scope
and share resources to benefit the company
Must focus on rational evaluation of private synergies- Business is worth more managed by CRE than by itself
Transaction costs- Due diligence fees (lawyers, investment banks,
accountants, etc)- Managerial time to evaluate target firms, complete
transaction- Transaction costs < expected synergies
Risks of Acquisition Based Strategy
Too much diversification CRE could begin to rely on acquisition activities to replace
innovation
Managers may focus solely on financial performance of a business segment rather than strategic controls to evaluate business performance
CRE may be getting to big Managers may implement more bureaucratic control to
manage combined firm’s operations
Hinders innovation
Risks of Acquisition Based Strategy
Managers overly focused on acquisitions Large managerial cost associated with acquisitions
- Searching for viable acquisitions- Completing due diligence process- Preparing for negotiations- Managing the integration process
Diverts attention from other matters that are necessary for long-term competitive success, such as identifying ways to drive cost-efficiencies
Recommendation
BeerRaise avg. selling prices in certain strong regions to cover the increase in beer production materials - divest non-core beer brands - increase product mix - fine tune selling prices in certain regions - lift sales volume of premium beer
Recommendation
BeverageIncrease the production capacity
Manufacture the products by themselves rather than by OEM factories
Pro: the supply chain become more vertically integrated
Con: costlyDevelop healthy drinks
More people aware of healthy life style Healthy drinks can be charged a higher premium